Alabama football received a commitment from Domani Jackson on Thursday night, not long after he shook hands with Nick Saban during practice ahead of the Rose Bowl. Was it a recruiting violation?
Many college football recruiting experts online are calling for his head. Most of them are Michigan Wolverines who continue to be salty about Jim Harbaugh’s lies to the NCAA about a hamburger.
However, to their credit, there is a lot of uncertainty and confusion surrounding what happened.
Regardless of what took place, Jackson will play for the Crimson Tide in 2024. The former five-star recruit, who began his career with two years at USC, announced his decision on Instagram.
The gist is this:
- Alabama is in Los Angeles for the Rose Bowl
- Jackson is from Santa Ana and played at USC
- It was very easy for Jackson to take a quick trip over to Rose Bowl practice
- Jackson shook Saban’s hand while at practice
- Jackson later committed
The Crimson Tide is practicing at Dignity Health SportsPark, which is just a short drive from Jackson’s hometown and previous school — at which he likely had an apartment. He swung by practice.
Saban greeted Jackson while there. It was a brief exchange.
At the time of the handshake and ensuing commitment, all of college football is under a “dead period.”
Recruits and players who are in the transfer portal (also recruits, technically) are not allowed to be in contact with coaches or members of the staff. Hmm…
More than likely, Jackson’s handshake with Saban falls under jurisdiction of the ‘Bump Rule.’ Coaches can briefly say hello to a recruit if they happen to see him while they’re on campus. With that being said, it is rather funny how recruiters manage to “bump into” the exact player for whom they are recruiting.
However, the Bump Rule does not apply to a team’s own practice.
Division I institutions are reminded that in accordance with Bylaw 13.02.3, any face-to-face encounter between a prospect or the prospect’s parents, relatives or legal guardian(s) in excess of a greeting is considered a contact. Further, any such face-to-face encounter that is prearranged or that takes place on the grounds of the prospect’s educational institution or at the site of organized competition or practice involving the prospect or the prospect’s high school, preparatory school, two-year college or all-star team shall be considered a contact, regardless of the conversation that occurs. As a result, such contact, outside of the contact period as defined in Bylaw 13.02.4.1, is not permissible. For example, it would be considered an impermissible contact if, outside the contact period, a member of the coaching staff “bumps” into a prospective student-athlete regardless of who arranges the “bump”.
— 1999 Column 22 — Impermissible Contact Outside of the Contact Period
It gets even more confusing.
A portion of Alabama’s practice on Thursday was open to the media and the public. In that case, Jackson’s attendance might not be considered “prearranged” and Saban just happened to “bump” into his soon-to-be starting defensive back for 2024.
The whole thing could be scrutinized and debated at nauseam. Did Nick Saban commit a recruiting violation in broad daylight? Probably not. He would never put himself in that position. He knows better.
But maybe?